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Carlos Ghosn's automaker mantra: Go big or you'll go away

Size matters in auto company survival, Renault and Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn told an audience in Detroit on Tuesday. To cope with the escalating costs and scope of a global industry, successful automakers must complete a trifecta--be able to compete in every technology, every market and every segment, Ghosn said during a luncheon speech at the Detroit Economic Club “No 3 million-unit carmaker can make it,” Ghosn said, explaining why his Renault-Nissan alliance forged an alliance with Germany's Daimler AG. Competency in one or two of the three skills is not enough, and only very large companies can afford all three, he said.

Fiat Americanizes its 500, complete with cupholders

The Fiat 500 subcompact might be Italian through and through, but the U.S. version that arrives in dealerships late this year will cater to American tastes. The American car will have a more powerful engine than the European version, a slightly softer ride and--most important--more substantial, American-style cupholders.

BMW M5 2011 (F10) at Nurburgring +video

The 2011 BMW M5 caught on video near the Nurburgring Wonderful power plant though the V10 is, in these economy and emissions conscience times it is a pragmatic move by BMW to use the 4.4 litre V8 already seen in the X5M and X6M in the next generation M5. It seems almost certain if you watch this video – especially at around 3:15 where you can hear the turbos quite clearly – that forced induction is the route BMW are taking. But it seems likely that the M5 will get a few more horses than others in the BMW range using the same powerplant.